Why I Started Talking About Fashion (And Why It’s Been More Fun Than I Expected)

AT OUR FAMILY’S LAKE HOUSE

Dress | Cardigan | Sunnies | Bag | Shoes

For someone who’s built a career around making spaces beautiful, I’ve always been private about my personal style. For years, my Instagram was all perfectly styled rooms and before-and-after reveals. You saw my work, but you rarely saw me…at least not the everyday version of me picking out shoes or trying to figure out if a necklace works with a dress.

Then something shifted earlier this year.

Maybe it was turning 46 and realizing I was tired of keeping parts of myself locked away. Maybe it was finally understanding my own coloring better after getting my seasonal color analysis done (spoiler alert: I’m a True Spring, which explains so much about my lifelong obsession with coral). Or maybe I just got tired of being in the shadow of my own brand.

Top | Pants | Bag (similar) | Sunnies | Shoes | Scarf (similar)

Whatever the reason, I started sharing my True Spring outfits and discoveries, and it’s been one of the most unexpectedly joyful parts of my year.

There’s something so different about sharing personal style versus design work. With interiors, I’m the expert guiding my clients toward their best selves through their spaces. But with fashion content, I’m just… me. Figuring it out as I go, getting excited about a new lipstick that makes me feel like I could conquer the world.

The response has been incredible. Fashion content? Me? At first, I felt very uncomfortable. I was used to letting the design work be the draw, while I could safely look on from a safe distance after the project was finished and we were posting perfectly styled portfolio shots but much to my surprise, our followers were here for all of it. The OOTDs, the unboxings, the genuine excitement when I put on the perfect outfit.

GUSSIED UP WITH CHRIS ON THE WAY TO OUR FRIENDS’ WEDDING

When I was growing up, I loved to get dressed up. As I’d leave the house to go meet friends, I can remember my mom always telling me “You look cute!” She instilled in me from an early age the importance of dressing well. It lets others know you respect them enough to look your best, and that you respect yourself enough to always present your best effort. That little confidence boost from Mom as I’d walk out the door was as much an affirmation that I’d done a good job as it was a mother taking pride in her own good job.

WITH MOM EARLIER THIS YEAR ON MOTHER’S DAY

I’ve started sharing more than just outfits, too—the little discoveries that make life more beautiful, easy, and efficient. The perfume that literally stops people in their tracks and compels them to ask me what I’m wearing, the lipstick that finally, finally is the exact shade of coral I’ve been searching for my entire adult life. These aren’t partnerships or sponsored content (though I clearly label when they are), these are genuine “I bought this with my own money and I’m obsessed” recommendations. The very same kind of exchange we’d have as friends if you liked something I was wearing, and I got excited to share the details with you.

What’s been most surprising is how much this has deepened my connection with all of you - our Instagram followers, our newsletter subscribers, and our blog readers. When you share the perfect sofa, people appreciate it. When you share that you bought the same sweater in three colors because it’s just that good, they feel like they know you. There’s something beautifully human about admitting you added items to your cart on Friday and left them there all weekend while debating on whether or not to buy the same cardigan in all of your True Spring colors.

AT THE INREGISTER CAPITAL GALA RELEASE PARTY

The other thing I’ve realized is how much color theory from my design background translates to personal style. Those years of understanding undertones and how certain combinations create harmony apply just as much to putting together an outfit as they do to selecting paint colors. The same principles that help me create timeless, colorful interiors have started informing how I approach my own wardrobe.

And can we talk about how much fun it is to get ready in the morning now? Instead of just throwing on neutral pants and a semi-interesting top, I’m actually thinking about color combinations, trying new accessories, considering whether this particular shade of green makes my eyes look more vibrant (after 46 years, I’ve resigned myself to the fact that olive green, while being the same color as my eyes, in fact, does nothing for them). It’s like being my own design client, which is both terrifying and exhilarating.

My business will always be built on creating classic, fresh, smart interiors. That hasn’t changed. But there’s room for more than one passion in a life, and I’m discovering there’s something equally satisfying about helping people feel confident in what they’re wearing, (even if it’s just through showing what works for me).

AT A DRESS FITTING AT CHATTABOX BOUTIQUE

The best part? My followers seem to appreciate seeing this more personal side. They’re not just interested in my professional expertise anymore—they want to know what I’m loving, what I’m buying, what makes me feel most like myself when I walk out the door.

So here’s to sharing more of the real me, one outfit post at a time. Classic, fresh, smart doesn’t just describe how I design rooms—it’s how I’m trying to approach everything these days, including finally letting you see what’s hanging in my own closet.

SHOPPING AT NK BOUTIQUE ST. FRANCISVILLE

Trust me, it’s been just as much of a reveal as any before-and-after I’ve ever shared, and I can’t wait to see how this will evolve over time! If you’re curious about everything I’m liking, loving, and buying, HERE’S the link to my ShopMy collections, including some of my favorite looks for Labor Day this weekend!